Saquon Barkley takes 3-word shot at Eagles' Tush Push adversaries

A play so unstoppable, it’s become the NFL’s version of a midnight diner pie—simple, effective, and impossible to resist. The Philadelphia Eagles’ “Tush Push” isn’t just a short-yardage cheat code; it’s a cultural flashpoint dividing old-school grit from modern rulebook politics. While critics grumble about fairness, the Eagles keep shoving their way to first downs, leaving rivals scrambling like kids chasing an ice cream truck in July. And then you have Saquon Barkley, the star running back with a mic drop hotter than a halftime chili cook-off.

On Wednesday, NFL owners fell two votes short of banning the controversial play, ensuring its survival for another season. But Barkley, never one to bite his tongue, blasted the league’s debate with a three-word verdict: “kind of lame.” His target?

The 22 teams crying foul over Philly’s dominance. “Everybody can do it,” Barkley scoffed on the Exciting Mics podcast. “We happen to have one of the best and biggest O-lines, and Jalen Hurts can squat 600 pounds. That's not our fault.”

The Eagles’ Not-So-Secret Weapon

Since 2022, the Eagles have converted close to 87% of their Tush Push attempts, bulldozing for 106 first downs and 33 touchdowns. It’s less a play and more a physics lesson: Hurts’ leg power paired with a line stronger than a ’78 Steelers defense. Yet rivals like Buffalo and Baltimore—armed with star QBs Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson—can’t replicate the magic. Barkley’s take?

“Josh Allen is super big, [Buffalo] aren't successful with it. Lamar Jackson is one of the best running quarterbacks of all time, [Baltimore] aren't successful with it.”

His jab at the failed ban echoed like a halftime buzzer: “It's not something that everyone can't do, so them trying to eliminate it, I think that's kind of lame.” But Barkley’s gripes aren’t just about turf battles.